Online Shopping: Is It Safe?

September 3, 2013
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These days you can buy almost everything on the internet, from a solitaire to a flight ticket, to almost everything that can be bought with plastic money. If you don’t have a credit card, well, you can still buy things, thanks to the Cash-on-Delivery option. But there are still a few things that you need to keep in mind before you start shopping online. Here are a few useful tips:

Authenticity:

Always make your purchases from well known and acclaimed websites. This ensures that you get genuine products and with the manufacturers credentials. For instance, if you were to buy a cell phone, try cell2get. All the products listed on cell2get are from reputed brands like Apple and Samsung. Also, cell2getdelivers brand new products. So you do not have to worry about any internal damage or malfunction. Buying from any website without checking its credibility is like running towards a scam and falling face-first thereafter.

Quality:

The quality of the products that you buy online is a very sensitive issue. Many people have experienced a bad shopping experience because the product that they expected to receive was not up to the mark in terms of quality. It happens mostly with apparels and accessories, or anything made of fabric. However, in terms of gadgets, like cell phones, the chances of getting a sub standard product are typically low. If you buy a cell phone from a site like cell2get, then you can rest assured about the quality of the product. The sites like cell2get have collaboration with the manufacturing companies which ensure delivery of excellent products in terms of quality. If you trust a brand, you need not worry about the site, as long as you buy from a trusted source.

Price:

Always keep a check on the market price on Google before you spend your money on an online purchase. Also compare the price of a particular product on different sites and choose the best price before you buy. For example, you can compare the prices of a particular model of cell phone on cell2gate, e-bay, snapdeal and some other site of your choice. If you get to see that cell2gate is offering a better price, then your choice is quite obvious. When it comes to spending your hard earned money, it’s better to be safe than sorry. A little research will be of no harm and will also get you the best deals.

Delivery:

Please check the estimated delivery period of the product before you make the purchase. They differ some times, based on availability of products and difference in the guidelines followed by different websites. If you are purchasing from a trusted website like cell2gate, then you need not worry as you can read the reviews wherein the previous customers have vouched for the timely delivery. It is absolutely not a pleasant experience if your product gets delayed and you have to wait for a longer time than it usually takes. That is one thing which irritates online shoppers. So to spare you the trouble of calling them a hundred times to follow up, I would recommend that you buy from a trusted source instead. The chances of you being disappointed will be next to none.

Privacy:

This is the trickiest part. Before you punch in your personal details, make sure that the website is a secured website. Otherwise you might end up being a part of a scam. Everybody is concerned about their information, especially your social security number, your address, your phone number, and most importantly, your credit card or bank details. While making a payment, please ensure that the payment gateway has been secured by Visa or Masters. These are the two main gateways. For other cards, like American Express, they usually have their own gateways. Do not forget to set a password for your online transactions. And needless to say, do not share it with anybody who is not authorized to use your card. This ensures the safety of your bank account and credit cards and also minimizes the chances of the information from being compromised.

It is however advisable to go for options like Cash-on-Delivery, Try-n-Buy, etc. in order to ensure complete satisfaction for you as a customer.

Being a little cautious and inquisitive has never harmed anybody, so it won’t harm you as well. Enjoy your experiences as an online shopper and make the best out of it. At the end of the day, all’s well that ends well.